


Butterflies Aren't Free

by RockSunner



Series: Smart Adversaries AU [5]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adventure, Akumatized Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bittersweet Ending, Chloé Bourgeois Redemption, Episode: s02 Zombizou, Love Potion/Spell, Multi, Romance, Suspense, Zombie Apocalypse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-17
Updated: 2018-04-24
Packaged: 2019-04-24 09:24:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14352621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RockSunner/pseuds/RockSunner
Summary: What if Hawk Moth was more subtle when targeting Marinette with an akuma?





	1. Hidden Butterfly

"Happy Birthday, Mlle. Bustier!" said all the students in chorus.

Mlle. Bustier wiped away a tear and said, "Oh, you're all so sweet!"

She picked up one of the presents piled on her desk.

Alya said, "Marinette made that one."

Marinette beamed shyly as the present was opened, looking forward to a pleased acceptance from Mlle. Bustier.

Mlle. Bustier gave a tiny gasp and looked a little shocked.

Marinette jumped out of her seat to see what was wrong. A crude stick figure of herself had been scrawled on the hand-made purse with a permanent marker. Her embroidered message ("If we wish to change the world, we must all learn to love each other") was scribbled out.

"What..?" said Marinette. "I know you did this, Chloé Bourgeois!"

Max looked at a calculator app on his phone and said, "A 99.56% certainty."

Alya said, "So uncool, Chloé."

"Seriously lame," said Marinette.

Chloé simply sat there looking pleased with herself.

"Calm down. We don't want to get upset on my birthday, now, do we?" said Mlle. Bustier, taking the present back from Marinette. "Well, I think this present is wonderful."

Mlle. Bustier pulled the tube of lipstick out of the bag, then popped it back in. "It'll be my new cosmetics bag. Then I'll be able to think of both of you every time I use it."

Marinette was furious. "What? You're not gonna let her get away with this?!"

Alya said, "That girl is worse than Hawk Moth!"

"At least half the city has gotten akumatized because of her!" said Alix.

The whole class began chattering loudly. Mlle. Bustier had to clap her hands for attention.

"Students, please, calm down now! The classroom is not a place for insults and defamation! Marinette, would you come with me, please?"

"W-What?" said Marinette? _She_ was getting in trouble for "defamation" of Chloé?

Mlle. Bustier asked Alya to keep order while she was gone. Outside, in the open hallway that ran inside the building above the stairway, she faced Marinette – who was growling with rage.

* * *

In Hawk Moth's lair, the covering above his circular window irised open.

"That feeling of injustice! What could be worse than being punished by someone else's wrongdoings?" Hawk Moth charged a butterfly with akuma energy. "Fly away, my little akuma, and evillize her!"

* * *

"Mlle, Bustier, it's so not fair! It was Chloé, pulling another... Chloé! And... I'm the one who's getting in trouble?"

Mlle. Bustier knelt down and put a hand on Marinette's shoulder. "Of course you're not in trouble, don't worry! As the class representative, I want you to set a good example for your classmates. Don't give in to feelings of anger; try to forgive Chloé instead."

Marinette felt her anger starting to cool. Unseen by the two of them, the purple-black akuma butterfly darted away.

* * *

"Ugh... The emotions have weakened!" said Hawk Moth to himself. He didn't want to waste a butterfly. Akuma butterflies were not free - they cost him energy to make. Also, he was determined to corrupt the girl. Her emotional patterns were different than the ones he had sensed in the classroom before. He sensed she had the potential to be a strong villain.

Hawk Moth had copies of the class photos from Adrien's class and he had marked all the ones he had evilized – this one girl was the only one left except for his son. He wanted to catch them all, other than Adrien. Hawk Moth didn't want to akumatize his own son, especially after the Gorizilla event proved he couldn't be Chat Noir.

Hawk Moth sensed another presence near the girl, an adult carefully controlling her emotions but still upset underneath. He didn't want the akuma spotted or intercepted.

"Land close by, akuma. Keep out of sight."

* * *

The akuma flew down the stairs a little way and landed on the stair rail. It blended in with the dark metal.

"I don't get it... Chloé is the meanest person I've ever known," said Marinette.

"Come on... There are much worse people in Paris right now than Chloé Bourgeois. I'm sure people like Chloé are capable of great things. The problem is, they only think of themselves – they don't understand the meaning of love, and we can't force them to change. But perhaps we can show them by setting a good example. That's why Marinettes are important in today's world, because they have a lot of love to give. I'm counting on you."

"Yes, Mlle. Bustier."

The akuma continued to perch where it was, unseen by both of them.

"Shall we go back into the classroom now?" asked Mlle. Bustier.

"One more thing," said Marinette. "Please let me take back that purse and make you a new one. It will only take a day or two, now that I have the design."

"You don't need to do that, Marinette."

"Yes, I really do. I put my heart into making a present for you. You know, when you said it would make you think of both of us? That hurt my feelings. You're letting Chloé hijack my gift, make it half hers just by scribbling on it."

"If that's how you feel about it, all right. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. You will be setting a good example for Chloé, of creating rather than destroying."

Mlle. Bustier handed Marinette the purse. She turned back to go into the classroom.

Marinette was following, happy to be able to re-make the gift but resentful of all the work she would have to do, when the akuma flew up and entered the purse. The lipstick inside it turned black.

There was a voice in Marinette's mind. "Hello, Mademoiselle. I am Hawk Moth."

"No!" said Marinette. "I won't let you make me do evil."

"Who said anything about evil? There's already so much hate in the world. I want to help you unite everyone together with love! Isn't that your greatest wish? It's the message on your purse. Or would you rather get revenge on the girl who ruined your work? I can help you do that, instead."

The controlling influence was powerful. Marinette was starting to lose her way, to forget she didn't have to choose either one.

"No, everyone tries to get revenge on Chloé. I'd rather make her be nice."

Mlle. Bustier's voice seemed to come from far away. "Marinette! Breathe deeply and focus!"

"Zombizou. I'm giving you the power to spread love and compassion. Thanks to you, the whole world will be one big embrace! In return, bring me Ladybug and Cat Noir's Miraculous."

"You need both of them?"

The earrings she could give him right now, but Hawk Moth didn't know that. The psychic connection to his akuma villains was not the same as full mind reading.

"Yes, I need both. One of them alone is useless to me."

"All right, I'll do it," said Zombizou as the purple cloud overtook her.

Mlle. Bustier ran back into the classroom.

Zombizou's face and hair were pale blue. There was a red mask around her eyes. She wore a black body-suit with patched-on red hearts, which gave the effect of a rough Antibug costume. She took the black lipstick tube out of the bag and put some on her lips.

"Starting with... Chloé Bourgeois!"


	2. Zombizou vs. Caline Bustier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An encounter in Caline Bustier's classroom.

Zombizou swept open the classroom door, skipped once, and bounded to the top of the teacher's desk. She turned her back for a moment to apply more black lipstick. Chloé was a hard case and might require an extra-heavy dose.

She turned, and discovered that the class had been warned to evacuate by Mlle. Bustier. They were filing out the door in good order and without panic, thanks to the many akuma evacuation drills they had practiced.

"I have got some great news for you, classmates! From now on, everyone's going to hug and kiss and feel the love!" said Zombizou. "Even you, Chloé."

Chloé was still in line for the door. Zombizou blew a kiss. It fluttered toward her, making smooching motions. Chloé pushed her friend Sabrina into the way as a human shield, getting her kissed on the forehead instead.

Zombizou applied more lipstick and was about to try again. She might have succeeded, except that she felt something hit her back. It was the picture made by Nathaniel of Mlle. Bustier as a flying superhero.

She turned and smiled at Caline Bustier, who had gathered the pile of presents as ammunition on Chloé and Sabrina's desk.

"Why are you trying to stop me, Mlle. Bustier? Isn't this what you wanted? Didn't you tell me that I have a lot of love to give?"

"I said that to you, Marinette," said Caline. "Not to the akuma victim Hawk Moth has made of you. Please, Marinette. You have to snap out of it!"

"I am not Marinette any more. I am Zombizou!"

She fired off another kiss at Mlle. Bustier, but the teacher had seen how the kisses could be intercepted. She tossed up a box and hit it into the way of the kiss, catching it on the side of the box.

"It's a good thing I was a champion volleyball player in my younger days," Caline said.

"You said I couldn't make people change, but now I can," said Zombizou. "I can even change you."

"Temporary mind control is not the same as real change," said Caline.

"It's not temporary," said Zombizou.

"Ladybug and Chat Noir will stop you," said Caline. "Ladybug will put everything back to normal with her Miraculous Ladybug charm."

"No," said Zombizou. "I guarantee that Ladybug won't be showing up this time."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Caline.

"I think you know," said Zombizou. "I have to get on with my job of catching Chloé and turning Paris into a real city of love. My new converts will take care of you."

Ivan, Mylène, and Sabrina came shambling in, all muttering, "Kiss you! Kissy-poo!"

As Mlle. Bustier backed away from them, Zombizou skipped out the door.

"I'll leave her in your hands, my lovelies."

* * *

Hawk Moth spoke to his victim through the mental link. "Do you mean what you said? Ladybug will not be showing up, because you were Ladybug?"

"That's right, dear Hawk Moth."

"Then I have new instructions for you. Before you do anything else, take off your earrings and bring them to me. Then you can go back to transforming Paris."

"No problem," said Zombizou. She reached up and felt her ears. "That's odd, I'm not wearing any earrings now. They must have disappeared when I was transformed."

Hawk Moth growled in frustration. Often an akuma villain's accessories were transformed along with them, but many times they disappeared into an alternate dimension which some ignorantly called a "hammerspace".

"Never mind," said Hawk Moth. "We can deal with that problem when you bring me Chat Noir's ring. Carry on as you were."

His plan was simple. He would have her bring the ring, then remove her power. Marinette would be at his mercy under the guns from his lair - he could easily get the earrings from her. Then she would be his victim a second time today, the target for the wish that would restore Emilie and transfer her fate to Marinette.

* * *

Zombizou skipped to the physics classroom and kicked in the door.

"Is Chloé Bourgeois in here?"

Ms. Mendeleiev said, "How dare you interrupt my class?! Who are you?"

"No? Oh, well. Smoochies for my poochies! Mwah!"

A flock of kisses were blown out, targeting every student in the room along with Ms. Mendeleiev.

On she went to classroom after classroom, leaving behind her mindless minions chanting, "Kissy-poo!"


	3. To be Queen Bee or Not to be Queen Bee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new superheroine is recruited against Zombizou.

Chloé was hiding in her locker in the Collège Françoise Dupont's Locker Room. All the escapees from Mlle. Bustier's class were hiding from the zombies.

There was a knock on the door of the locker.

"Ladybug?" Chloé asked in a whisper.

She opened the door to peek out, just catching a glimpse of a little man hurrying away. On the floor in front of the locker was a small jewelry box made of high-quality wood.

"A present for me?" said Chloé to herself. "I certainly deserve one, but this is not a good time."

She closed the locker door and cautiously opened the box. There was a golden hair comb inside. Before she could touch it, a yellow ball of light flashed bright and then disappeared, leaving a floating being about the size of an orange.

Chloé covered her mouth so she would not scream and attract the zombies. Someone had pranked her with trick jewelry box containing a giant bee! She opened the locker door and tried to shoo it out before it stung her.

"Don't bee afraid," said the bee in a quiet buzzing voice. "I am Pollen, your kwami."

"A t-talking bee!" said Chloé in a whisper. "Am I going crazy?"

"I am real. I can give you power to save the city," said Pollen. "You can beecome a superhero."

"You want _me_ to be a superhero? What about Ladybug?"

"Ladybug will not bee able to help this time. Her kwami is locked away in another dimension. Without your help Paris will fall."

"I heard rumors about a new superheroine named Rena Rouge."

"She would not bee effective. Zombizou knows all about her and her powers."

"And so I'm stuck with the job."

"You have been observed by another kwami since the beeginning of the school year. You have great potential."

"Of course I'm great."

"I said you have potential. You need to step back and see yourself as others see you."

"Everybody adores me."

"You must judge yourself with humility. Only then you can rise to the occasion. Otherwise you will fail and bee lost forever."

"I won't fail. I'll show everyone. What kind of powers do I get?"

"The Bee is for teamwork, supporting the hive. Your school, your classmates, and your super-team. You have the power to nourish and protect them."

"Nourish? What is that for?"

"Your power of Honey can replenish the energy of others with a touch. With your help, Chat Noir can do one Cataclysm after another without timing out."

"That sounds pretty lame. Anything else?"

"Your weapon, the trompo, is for transportation and limited attacks. Energized with a Sting, it can weaken any magic that is affecting a hive mate. But you only get one Sting, and you cannot recharge yourself except by feeding me something sweet. Five minutes after using Sting, I will no longer be able to keep you in hero form."

"How do I transform?"

"Put the comb in your hair and say 'Pollen, Buzz out' to transform, and 'Buzz in' to change back."

Chloé put on the comb and said, "Pollen, Buzz out!"

Pollen disappeared into the comb.

Chloé felt the urge to dance in a transformation ritual. In the confined space of the locker she couldn't actually do it. She came out of the locker and looked herself over in one of the mirrors.

A yellow and black mask had appeared on her face, and she was wearing a yellow costume with black stripes on the torso and upper thighs. Her boots were covered with a shiny black material, and so were her gloved arms except that the fingertips were yellow.

"Yes! I look spectacular!"

The other students heard and came out of their lockers.

"Ladybug?" called Alya. "Is that a new costume?"

"Even better! I am Chloé Bourgeois, the new superhero... Queen Bee!"

She was met with groans and hostile stares.

"Boo!" said Alix.

"The last thing we need is Chloé dressing up as a superhero!" said Kim.

"Where is Ladybug?" asked Alix

"She won't be able to make it," said Queen Bee. "I'll save you."

"We're doomed," said Juleka.

"You can't fix things back, can you?" asked Rose. "Anyone who becomes a zombie will stay one for life."

"Not a very long life," said Alya. "They don't seem smart enough to feed themselves."

"We need to get everyone out of here," said Queen Bee. "Come on."

Nino said, "Uh... Adrien? He still hasn't come out of his locker."

When Queen Bee opened the locker to check on Adrien, he gave her a blank look and said, "Kissy-poo!"

The classmates screamed. Queen Bee slammed the locker shut again.

"Oh, man. He must've gotten kissed on the stairs when he was saving Chloé," said Alya.

The noise attracted the zombies outside. They began to try to push in, as the students inside barricaded the door with trash cans.

"We need to head to the roof," said Queen Bee. She got her weapon out of the cloth bag at her side. "This is my weapon? A top? How can I use this?"

Instinct told her to try pulling the trompo's string. It landed and spun, humming. She pulled a longer cord out of the bag and flicked it onto the top, where it magically fastened to the axis. With a smooth motion she flipped the string toward a high window. The trompo obeyed her wishes. It spun straight up the wall and out the window, where it spun in one place on the roof. She could make the attached cord pull in and out at will, providing a simple lift.

Queen Bee helped all the students go up the cord and out the window. Her new superhuman strength made it easy, but her aversion to touching all those grimy commoners didn't help. It was a good thing this super suit was not her regular designer clothes.

She had just helped the last student out when the zombified students burst in. She pulled herself up and locked the window behind her.


	4. Another One Rides the Bus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Queen Bee helps Chat Noir evacuate the students

The students on the rooftop watched anxiously as the zombies below tried to get to them.

Alya played a news feed on her cell phone.

* * *

Nadja Chamack was talking as the video behind her showed chaos on the streets. "Yet again, it seems citizens of Paris are in great danger. Since this morning, a strange disease is spreading. Hoards of kissing zombies are spreading throughout Paris! Let's go over to our mayor, Mr. Bougeois, live from City Hall. "

"We advise all Parisians to remain inside, at this time..." said Mayor Bougeois, interrupted by being jumped for a kiss by police officer Roger Raincomprix.

"Kissy-poo!" said Roger.

The cameras cut back to Nadja as the feed from City Hall turned to white noise. "Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor?"

* * *

"Daddy!" said Queen Bee, pushing closer to see the screen.

* * *

Zombizou appeared on Nadja's news set. She blew a kiss toward Nadja.

"It looks like we're having a slight technical issue," said Nadja, trying to in vain to wave the kiss away with her tablet. A second later the kiss landed on her cheek and her face went blank.

"I took care of your father, Chloé. Show yourself!" said Zombizou. "Then, Chat Noir? I'm coming for you. Unless, of course, my sweethearts get hold of you first, because very soon the whole city will be hot on your heels! Mwah!"

Zombizou kissed the camera lens.

* * *

Alya turned off the news feed. The classmates murmured frightened comments.

Chat Noir jumped up on the roof with them. "Hey guys, I'm all for our French greetings, but let's hold off on the kisses for now, huh?"

The students crowded around him.

"Chat Noir! At last!" said Alya. "Where's Ladybug?"

"I don't know," said Chat. "I would have expected her to be here by now."

"Excuse me!" said Queen Bee. "There's a new hero in town. Me, Queen Bee."

"Queen Bee? Do you know where Ladybug is?" asked Chat Noir.

"I don't know for sure, but the little thing that gave me my powers, a Q-bee..."

"Kwami," corrected Chat.

"...whatever. It said that she was stuck in another dimension or something, and it was up to me to save the day."

Chat Noir looked worried. "This is bad. First Marinette gets akumatized, then Ladybug goes missing..."

"What if Marinette _is_ Ladybug?" asked Max. "It's a logical assumption. I estimate the probability at 80 percent. Zombizou only mentioned looking for Chat Noir, not Ladybug."

"Zombizou looks sort of like Antibug," said Alix

"Ha!" Queen Bee said. "I looked a lot less tacky when I was Antibug."

"You're responsible for this, Chloé !" said Alya, turning to face Queen Bee. "You made Marinette angry by vandalizing her present, which got her akumatized. If she's Ladybug, that means the one superhero who could have helped us is now a super-villain."

"We're totally hosed," said Juleka.

"Chloé, huh? Always Chloé. You only think about yourself!" said Alix, backing Queen Bee toward the roof edge with waiting zombies below.

"I don't know why we don't just give them what they want," said Alya.

"Yeah! Good idea!" said Nino.

"Is it _my_ fault if I'm better than all of you?" asked Queen Bee.

Chat Noir got in the way of the student mob. "Hold on, she doesn't deserve to be hit any more than you."

Queen Bee smirked at this.

"And we need her as bait to lure Zombizou when the time is right," said Chat. "One thing I can still do is destroy her akumatized object. That will stop her and get Marinette back."

"Will it stop the zombies?" asked Nino.

"I don't know – it might. We have to try," said Chat. "So no pushing Queen Bee off the building."

"Uh... Thanks?" said Queen Bee.

Rose pointed and said, "They're coming!"

The zombies were forming a human pyramid to get up to the roof.

"We have to evacuate!" said Queen Bee. "See that bus over there? Chat Noir, do you know how to drive?"

Chat posed heroically. "I can do anything."

Chat Noir leaped down onto the abandoned bus. He extended his baton onto the school's rooftop. He threw his belt to Queen Bee.

Queen Bee realized the plan was to form an improvised zip line. "Max and Kim, you go first."

They crossed their arms in refusal, so Queen Bee sent Rose down first. Chat Noir caught her easily and got her into the bus through a skylight. Then he threw the belt back up.

Queen Bee sent down Alya, Juleka, Alix, and Nino. By this time the zombies were getting up to their level, so she fired off her trompo. It zoomed into the zombies, knocking them off the roof, and spun back to her hand.

A few zombies remained. Max and Kim tried to block them from getting to her. Zombies grabbed at them.

Queen Bee snagged Kim with a line attached to her trompo. "Don't try to play the hero, Kim. It doesn't impress me."

"Max!" cried Kim, trying to go to his friend. By now Max had been kissed and was looking at them with pink zombie eyes.

Queen Bee was about to send Kim down when she saw a kiss on his face, too. "Sorry, I have to leave you."

"You take care, Chloé," Kim said to her.

Queen Bee could have used the zip line herself, but she had another thought. The zip line was too undignified. She had noticed a button on the top of her trompo. She pressed it and a transparent platform extended around the top axis. She instinctively knew it would allow her to stand on the trompo and ride, gliding down Chat Noir's staff with perfect gyroscopic balance. It would be an impressive exit fit for Queen Bee.

It worked well at first, but she got going too fast. She sailed past the outstretched arms of Chat Noir and crashed into a street sign. The trompo fell and she was stuck. Zombies reached for her from below.

"Hello? Who's gonna come and save me?" asked Queen Bee.

Chat Noir leaped down from the bus and started waving his arms to distract the zombies. "Yoo-hoo! Kissy-kissy-kissy!"

That got the zombies beneath her away, but Queen Bee was still in an awkward position which made it hard to get down.

Rose opened the bus door and went out.

"Rose no!" cried Juleka.

"I can't just leave her by herself!" said Rose.

Before Rose got to her, Queen Bee slipped and fell. She felt her ankle get twisted, but she managed to reach and grab her trompo again. "Ow! Great! Now I've twisted my ankle because you weren't fast enough!"

Rose picked up Queen Bee and staggered back toward the bus. Chat was still jumping up and down on another abandoned car, distracting the zombies. They were almost there when a zombie, crawling underneath another car, grabbed Rose's leg. Rose cried out in fear.

Queen Bee got her trompo spinning and launched it unto the top of the bus. She held onto Rose and both of them were pulled up and away from the zombies. They got into the bus through the skylight.

Rose sat back down next to Juleka, who tenderly put a hand on her leg.

"Are you all okay?" Juleka asked.

"Yeah... Just a close call, that's all," said Rose, leaning close her her friend.

Nobody noticed the purple kiss mark on Rose's leg.

* * *

Queen Bee sat sulking towards the front of the bus, rubbing her sore ankle. Heroes weren't supposed to get hurt and need to be rescued by civilians. She thought of what she could do to redeem herself in everyone's eyes.

Chat Noir got back to the bus after retrieving his baton. "We have to go now."

"Chat Noir, I have a power that might help," said Queen Bee. "If you need to do a Cataclysm, I can recharge you instantly so you don't have to detransform."

"That could come in handy," said Chat.

He got the bug started and maneuvered it with a series of jerks and jumps.

"I thought you said you knew how to drive!" said Queen Bee.

"I've mastered every car and racetrack in Extreme Racing 3. But there are no buses in that game," said Chat.

They finally got moving more smoothly as Chat Noir mastered the clutch.

"Where shall we go?" asked Queen Bee.

"Ladybug and I have staged a lot of final villain confrontations on the Eiffel Tower," said Chat Noir. "I know the territory."

"But if Zombizou was Ladybug, so does she," said Queen Bee.

"Then she's sure to come there," said Chat Noir grimly. "It's the best chance to confront her in perso-"

He was interrupted by a commotion in the back. Juleka was covering her mouth, and Rose looked at them with a blank zombie expression. The other students ran toward the front of the bus.

Chat Noir leaped back to where there were two poles on either side of the aisle.

"Cataclysm!" he called, and ran his hand across one pole and then the other. They bent and twisted together, blocking the way forward to keep out the zombies.

It worked, except that Alix was trying to hold them back and got trapped on the wrong side. She got kissed.

Queen Bee touched Chat's arm as he ran back to take the wheel again, invoking "Honey!"

"Thanks, Queenie," said Chat. He held up his hand and showed a fully recharged ring. "Meow-ch appreciated."

"Playful cat pun banter from Chat Noir! That's more like it," thought Queen Bee.

* * *

The continued to drive toward the Eiffel Tower, as Zombizou watched from the top of a tall building.

"Don't forget our agreement, Zombizou," said Hawk Moth telepathically.

"No one can escape my kiss!" said Zombizou.


	5. The Towering Imbroglio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final confrontation on the top of the Eiffel Tower

The bus stopped at the Eiffel Tower. Chat Noir carried Queen Bee out of the bus.

"Stay together and follow me," Chat said.

The only other ones left were Alya and Nino. The zombies (Juleka, Rose, and Alix) remained in the sealed-off back of the bus.

The survivors ran inside the elevator room at the bottom of the Eiffel Tower. Zombies noticed them and came running.

"Nino! The vending machine! Quick! Everybody, inside the elevator!" said Chat Noir.

Nino pushed the vending machine in the way of the door and Chat Noir helped push it with his back.

Alya pressed the the elevator's "up" button. "Faster, faster!"

When the door opened it released two more zombies. They grabbed Alya and she went down to the floor.

Nino pulled one zombie guy off and pinned him to the floor. Chat Noir got the other off with one foot. It was too late: Alya had dark kiss marks on both cheeks.

"Oh, no..." said Nino.

"There's nothing we can do for her," said Chat Noir, getting into the elevator carrying Queen Bee. "Come on!"

"He's right," said Alya. "Just go and save Marinette."

Nino let the elevator door close without going in. He tipped his hat in farewell.

"Nino?" said Chat in shocked surprise.

As the elevator continued to rise, Queen Bee said, "Only the best remain."

Chat Noir scowled.

* * *

At the top of the tower, the platform around Gustave Eiffel's office, there were many more zombies. Chat Noir (still carrying Queen Bee) ran from one bunch, only to be faced by another group coming charging from the other side.

"You have super powers. I trust you to catch yourself," said Chat Noir. He threw her into the air.

Queen Bee screamed, but she used her super agility and strength to land, balanced on her good leg.

"Cataclysm!" called Chat. He used the power to bend a section of the railing into a barrier to block the zombies coming from one side. The zombies from the other side grabbed at him, but he pushed through them and blocked them from coming toward Queen Bee with his extended staff.

Queen Bee hopped closer. She could see that Chat had been kissed several times.

"Chat Noir!" she cried.

"I'll just stay here and chill," said Chat. "You go on and save Marinette, okay?"

Queen Bee, frightened and demoralized, pushed into Gustave Eiffel's office and locked the door behind her. She exclaimed in fear at what she thought was another zombie. It turned out to be the wax figure of Gustave Eiffel.

Zombizou appeared outside the window. "You're all alone now. Hand yourself over, Chloé. Then I might just let you witness the final triumph of love!"

Chat Noir pushed out of the pile of zombies and rushed to Zombizou. "Kiss you! Kissy-poo!"

"First give me your ring, Kitty," said Zombizou. "Then I'll keep you as a pet."

Chat Noir extended his ring hand to her. While Zombizou was distracted, Queen Bee sent her trompo smashing through the window, invoking "Sting!"

The trompo flew with magical energy trailing behind it. Zombizou caught it out of the air with one hand. The magic arced around her and she gave a gasp of pain. She threw the trompo off the side of the Tower.

"That was your major power, wasn't it?" asked Zombizou. "Now I just have to wait for you to time out and you're mine. Stay back from her, my pretties. I want to do this in person."

Hawk Moth sent, "That Sting is weakening our mental link. In case we get cut off, bring Chat Noir's ring to 1841 Rue Morgue. There's an open window in the attic on the south side."

"Bring Chat Noir's ring to 1841 Rue Morgue," Zombizou repeated aloud. "Got it."

The mental link broke. Zombizou continued to stare at Queen Bee, waiting for the time-out.

Chloé knew this was her last chance. She might have weakened the akuma's hold on Marinette, but it wasn't enough. She had to break through to her, and only sincerity would work. She dug deep to see herself as other saw her. She relived her classmates turning into zombies one by one. It was all her fault for messing up Marinette's gift.

"Marinette, I know you're in there. Please listen. I hurt everyone by what I did today. I forgot Mlle. Bustier's birthday, once again. And when I saw everyone had prepared a gift for her, I totally lost it and vandalized your present. Because I, too, would've liked to offer her something."

As a final gesture of vulnerability, Queen Bee released her transformation. If she was wrong, these might be the last sensible words she would ever say: "I'm sorry."

Zombizou looked at her intently. She got out her tube of lipstick again and... broke it in two. The akuma butterfly flew out, and Zombizou collapsed in a cloud of purple magic. She was back to Marinette, but stunned from the transformation.

Chloé rushed out of the office and went to her.

"Marinette, snap out of it," said Chloé, shaking her. "There's something you need to do as Ladybug, stat."

"Me? I'm not Ladybug," said Marinette groggily.

"Don't give me that! Ladybug was nowhere to be seen during this akuma attack. You were turned into a villain called Zombizou, and you filled the city with kissing zombies. They're holding back from us now because you told them to, but they may change their minds any second. We need your Lucky Charm to fix everything."

Marinette sighed. "It's only you who will remember this, so... can I trust you? I can't believe I'm asking you that, Chloé."

"You don't remember my apology? I'll tell you again later. Short version: I'm sorry for what I did and I promise to keep your secret."

"You'd better. Tikki, spots on!"

Chloé held her breath as she witnessed the transformation.

Ladybug said. "Did you see which way the akuma butterfly went?"

"Yes, it flew up to the tip of the Tower."

"It may be about to reproduce. I have to catch it."

Ladybug swung up with her yo-yo, caught the akuma, and purified it. "Bye-bye little butterfly."

Ladybug came back down to Chloé. "I don't know if I can do a charm. I don't have any need for an object to defeat my own akuma."

"Zombizou is still going harm you. Everyone is about to guess your identity. Can you wish for something to fix that?"

"I'll try," said Ladybug. "Lucky Charm!"

A cell phone with a spotted case fell into Ladybug's hands.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" asked Ladybug.

"May I see it?" asked Chloé.

Ladybug handed it over. There was a video displayed on it, and Chloé clicked the play button.

"Bring Chat Noir's ring to 1841 Rue Morgue," said Zombizou on the video. "Got it."

What followed was a realistic scene of Ladybug swinging in, defeating Zombizou, and turning her back to Marinette.

"This is perfect," said Chloé. "It could make even Hawk Moth have doubts."

"I need to throw the phone up in the air to complete the charm," said Ladybug.

"Let me email this video to myself first," said Chloé.

Ladybug took the phone back after Chloé was done. "Miraculous Ladybug!"

Nobody else was left on the top of the Tower but them. It seemed that all the zombies, including Chat Noir, had been sent home cured.

Chloé copied the video and sent it to the Ladyblog.

"Thank you for everything!" said Ladybug. She impulsively hugged Chloé.

Chloé forgot herself for a moment and relaxed into the hug. Then she said, "Uh, yeah. Okay then, we're all good."

Ladybug detransformed for the trip down the elevator with Chloé. It seemed better to come down from the Eiffel Tower as herself, a cured akuma victim, rather than leave questions about where she went.

* * *

The next day, before class began, Alya confronted Chloé in Mlle. Bustier's classroom.

"Me?" asked Chloé. "You want _me_ to apologize to the entire class? Ridiculous! They should be thanking me for saving everybody. I did a lot to help as Queen Bee."

"I happen to have several accounts of what went down, including my own, and they don't exactly match your version," said Alya. "I think Queen Bee was just high-tech cosplay. Ladybug is the one who really saved the day."

Marinette came in and put an arm around Alya's shoulder. She said to Chloé, "I heard you helped Ladybug and saved me! Awesome! There really is a heart beating in there after all. Sorry I said there wasn't..."

"But...!" said Alya.

"And thanks," said Marinette with a giggle. She pushed Alya away and they went to their seats.

Sabrina looked at Chloé in surprise. Chloé gave a little shrug. She smiled to herself. She had a new ally now... almost a friend.

Alya said, "Marinette? Girl, are you still part Zombizou?"

Marinette said, "I've realized Chloé has a heart, too. She just doesn't know how to use it. Hopefully, she'll learn if we continue setting a positive example."

"That sounds a bit like Zombizou," said Alya.

"What do you mean?" asked Marinette.

Alya spoke in a voice like the akuma. "I have some great news for you, classmates! From now on, everyone's going to hug and kiss and feel the love!"

"Did I really say that?" asked Marinette.

"You did."

"Oh dear."

"Don't sweat it. Welcome to the akuma victim club, girl. Everyone in the class has been there, except for Adrien. Now we know there's a reason for that."

"What reason? And why isn't he here today?"

"Haven't you heard? Adrien's father, Gabriel Agreste, got arrested for terrorism as Hawk Moth. The police raided his mansion after they heard his address on that video. They found his secret lair full of white butterflies."

"What's going to happen to Adrien?"

"His grandmother on his mother's side is taking care of him. I wouldn't expect him back to school any time soon. His reputation is in huge trouble – people are saying he must have known who his father was."

"No! Adrien is innocent! I just know it."

"It's a good thing you didn't get very far into dating him, girl. Well, other than that time you went to a movie with him in your pajamas."

"I told you; I was just helping him escape from crazed fans. The pajamas were an accident. I was in a hurry and forgot to change clothes."

"I think the press will let you off the hook. You're not like an accomplice or anything. After all, Hawk Moth just victimized you. Maybe he targeted you because he didn't like those pictures of you with his son."

"This is such a mess! There must be something we can do for Adrien."

"I don't believe he knew, either. We can be character witnesses and help clear his name."

"Yes, we will," said Marinette firmly.

Mlle. Bustier came in and class began. On her desk was a belated birthday present that Chloé had furtively placed there.

The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think it's legitimate for Ladybug to request a complex object with information content that serves a particular purpose. For example, she once created a record with lively dance music on it to spare Adrien from a slow dance with Chloé.


End file.
